**By Cian O'Connell **

Tipperary legend Mick Roche has passed away, aged 73.

Regarded as one of the greatest hurlers in Tipperary's history Mick Roche won three All Ireland medals in 1964, 1965, and 1971.

The Carrick Davins clubman also captained the Premier County in 1967 and 1968 when Tipperary lost in All Ireland Finals to Kilkenny and Wexford.

During a glittering career Roche won five Munster Senior Championships with Tipperary in 1964, 1965, 1967, 1968, and 1971.

Roche's close friend Michael 'Babs' Keating spoke about his former Tipperary colleague. "The two of us emerged from South Tipperary and for the next 13 years we were inseparable," Keating reflected about their inter-county journey in the blue and gold jersey.

"I started working in Waterford and my first call was to Roche's house to go training. He missed out on 62 as a minor, he was born late in December, he only missed out by a day or two.

"We came together to win an Intermediate All Ireland in 1963, we won everything for a few years then, Roche, John O'Donoghue, in goal, and myself.

"We started on the same day in the League in 1963 and for two and a half years we lost no match. Two All Irelands, two Leagues, two Oireachtas, two trips to Wembley, three trips to New York, Chicago, and Boston. Roche was by my side in all of those. He was more than a brother to me, we never had anything, but the greatest of respect for each other. He was part of everything I did family wise and I was with him."

Keating stressed how versatile a hurler Roche was. "At little over 20 years Mick Roche made centrefield his own until Tipp were stuck for a centre back. When Carrick became a strong club team from no place where did they play him: centre forward because they needed him and they could get away with the backs they had. He won County Finals on his own."

"He was one of the best friends I ever had, I rang Roche on Sunday night and I had a chat with him. I was the only player on the team that myself and himself were inseparable as players for years.

"I rang him on Sunday night, there was a programme about the Irish abroad, George Lee has presented it for the past couple of Sunday nights. A man from Carrick-on-Suir, who left with nothing, he made it big in London."

Roche will always be remembered according to Keating. "You never would hear somebody giving out to him. I rang John Connolly, the first thing he said was 'when is the funeral Babs?' The same with Eddie Keher, I rang him yesterday, they were heartbroken. As a player he commanded more respect than anybody I played with in either hurling or football."